Method of keeping the picking fingers of hop picking machines clean



A ril 19, 1938. E. c. HORST METHOD OF KEEPING THE PICKING FINGERS OF HOP PICKING MACHINES CLEAN Filed Nov. 4, 1936 I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1938 METHOD GEES OF Emil Clemens Horst,

OF KEEPING HOP PIGKING- MACHINES CLEAN THE PIGKING: .FIN-

sau Francisco, Calif.

Application November l, 1936, Serial No. 109,120

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a method and means for keeping the picking fingers of hop picking machines clean.

The picking of hops by now a comparatively has been in continuous use on a comparatively large scale in California and other western States for twenty-five years machine employed being that illustrated in Pat and 1,054,551. These m ents Numbers 1,054,119

machines are large afi'air prise a. main elongated.v

over and between which veyor travels.

a succession over and between the through the machine.

frame across journaled upper and lower rows or more; the type of s and in general comwhich are of picking drums an endless chain con- This conveyor is provided with of gripper bars to which the hop pulled with spaced rows of V-shaped flexible wire fingers which comb the between the drums. or stripped from the The vines as they pass over and hops are thus combed vines and fall downwardly between thedrums onto separator belts disposed 5 below the drums where matter are removed.

In the picking of hops leaves and other foreign by machines of this character the V-shaped picking fingers become coated with oil, sap. and other and to this will adhere fiber and other foreign material. This coating gradually builds up until the fingers become substantially inoperative becomes necessary to shut clean the fingers. takes... considerable time thousands of fingers bine with the hop Thisisa to be cleaned. The object of the present vines as they are so clogged that they become and at that time it down the machine and slow operation and as there are literally invention is to comfed into the machine a material which will iunctionas a cleaning or rubbing agent to the extent that it has a suillcient abrasive or rubbing action on the fingers to keep any oil or gummy substance from collecting or coating 12-1011 18 panvins shown by way of illustration in the drawing which is a diagrammatic view the same.- The inven accomshowing the manner in which the coir twine is fed through the picking machine in unison with the hop vines to be twine or cord is an ideal pose. Coir twine or cord cocoanut twisted into a tough-and rather coarse intertwined with the hop picked. From actual practice I have found that coir material for this purconsiats of fibers o! the cord. Theflbersare gummy substances rubbing contact with the twine or cord shown atk and any sticky or gummy material adhering to the fingers ,will

fingers will constantly and continuously keep clean.

ten to fifteen feet long. One or more pieces of coir cord of approximately the same be tied to the butt end of the vine, intertwined with it or fastened to each gripper bar, or the coir cord may be used in the field at the time the trellises are strung so that as the will become intertwined with the cord. By Ieeding the cord through the picking machine in unison with the vines the fingers are kept clean and no accumulation can render the fingers inoperative.

Be that as it may, the use oi! a cord of this character has proven a great discovery asit keeps the picking'flngers thoroughly clean at all times and obviates the necessity of shutting down for this purpose Shut downs of this character as the hop season is short and the vines must be picked. Any shut down of the machine is, accordingly, costly as a portion of the crop may become over-ripe or dried out and is thus imflt-for picking.

while coir twine has proven purpose described, twisted or formed from a coarse fibrous material may be employed, and while this and other features of the invention have been more orless specifically described. I wish it understood that changes in material may be resorted to within the of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, claim and desire to secure by letters Patent is: r A method of preventing any sub stance from coating or accumulating V picking nngezs of a hop picking machine,

consists in passing through the the best for the During the The hop vines to be picked are usually .from

length may.

automatically build up and so what I machine while vines grow they 15 vines are being pulled through the machine and 45 to the vines and intertwined therewith and upon which the tingers rub while combing sage of the meals. 'Ihecordis vlnesprlortoteeding by the picking v vines a plurality.

the vines during-the pasvines through the machine. thereby gummy substance tending to ad- 

